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Helen Wants To Learn How To Draw Manga

By: Robert McMurtrie

Helen told me she wants to learn how to draw manga. But then asked what modern manga is.

I asked why she wants to learn how to draw manga. She told me her friends talk all the time about learning how to draw manga. Then they talk about modern manga. She said her friends would think she was some sort of freak if she revealed she did not know anything about manga.

I told Helen that manga drawings originated in Japan. However, modern manga was shaped by the U.S. influence of Japan during the 1945-1952 Occupation after the end of WW2.

When U.S. GIs took leave back home, many returned to Japan with comics which became popular with the Japanese. U.S. films like Disney cartoons were also popular and influenced modern Japanese manga.

From the 1950s onwards, much Japanese manga focused on topics like space travel, science fiction, action adventure, sports and lots more. Manga drawings focused mostly on boys and young men. Types of people that would help to make manga popular.

From approximately 1969, Japanese women artists began to draw manga. These artists focused on how to influence girls and young women. This type of female manga also became very popular.

So, these women artists could have influenced my friends with wanting to learn how to draw manga, Helen said thoughtfully.

I nodded in agreement then told her that from 1975 onwards female manga continued to evolve. Girls comics included manga romance and the introduction of super heroines. Many Japanese female manga comics became internationally popular.

There are different types of Japanese manga for different gender and different age group. Boys will normally buy manga books and magazines known as shonen. The girls will normally buy manga books and magazines known as shojo.

The Japanese manga publication industry is huge and has now expanded worldwide. This worldwide expansion has greatly influenced artists to draw manga cartoons. These popular cartoons have created a huge market for manga comics.

Japanese manga cartoons influenced the European market differently from the U.S. market. Japan has greatly influenced French art since the 19th century. It then became an easy step forward for France to adopt manga drawings from Japan.

When France began broadcasting anime during the 1970s it influenced the European market. The Europeans became much more aware of manga at that time. Mainly because anime is made from manga cartoon animation.

Helen smiled and her eyes lit up: So that's what modern manga and anime are! I was also wondering about anime, she told me.

I asked her if she still wanted to learn how to draw manga. More than ever, she replied quickly.